Creel apparatus, including guard support for a cone



March 13, 1951 w. E. HEAD 2,545,293

-CREEL APPARATUS, INCLUDING GUARD SUPPORT FOR A com Filed May 21, 1949 I MEZZE; E IE 55d g Ey-Wf .4 ZLLF Patented Mar. 13, 1951 CREEL APPARATUS, INCLUDING GUARD SUPPORT FOR A CONE Walter E. Head, Miami, Okla, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a;

corporation of New York Application May 21, 1943, Serial No. 94,604 6 Claims. (01. 242 130) The invention relates to creel apparatus including guard supports for cones, cops, spools, and packages of cord, thread, yarn and other filamentary material.

In creel apparatus as it hasbeen utilized heretofore in producing cord fabric for the manufacture of pneumatic tires for vehicles, cones of cord have been supported non-rotatably on the apparatus by cone-supporting spindles generally having an upwardly inclined disposition to facilitate the drawing-off or delivery of the cord axially over the upper or apex end of each cone.

It has been found desirable to vary the angle of upward inclination of the cone dependent upon whether the cord is random or precision wound on the cone-tube and, in addition, according to the characteristics and/or kind of filamentary material such, for example, as cotton, rayon, or nylon forming the cord,'in order to minimize objectionable dropping or working of the cord over the peripheral edge of the base of the cone,

especially when the cord is not being delivered,

and to minimize cord breakage due to the same. This involves considerable loss of time in adjusting the spindles of the creel apparatus, when changes are made in the type of cone utilized or when more than one kind of cord is employed.

Objectionable breakage of the cord sometimes occurs for example, as the cord is delivered since; the cone is progressively reduced in diameter and the cord uncoils progressively faster and is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, causing ballooning of the cord. Under abrupt reductions in the rate of delivery or the stoppage of delivery, the ballooning loosens the cord, especially at the peripheral edge of the base of the cone, whereby the cord drops over such edge and sometimes winds around the spindle.

This often results in cord-breakage which'involves considerable lossof time'in joining the broken ends and conducting the cord through the respective parts of the creel apparatus. Defective cord fabric'is produced, if the breakage is excessive or is not discovered promptly by the operator. 1 I

An objector the invention is to overcome the foregoing difliculties of the prior creel apparatus.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved creel apparatus including guard supports therefor; to provide for minimizing breakage of filamentarymaterialutilized in the apparatus; to provide for supporting filamentary material at the peripheral edge of the base of a cone; to'provide for preventing working or dropping of the filamentary material over such edge 2 of the cone; to providefor flexibly supporting the strands at the peripheral edge; to provide for accommodating an-eccentric disposition ofthe cone on a cone-supporting spindle while supporting the strands at the peripheraledge; to provide foruniformity of angular dispositionof the cones even though the cones have random or precisionv winding, and different cones contain different kinds of filamentary materials; and to provide for simplicity of construction, convenience of assembly and servicingand for effectiveness and economy of operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. I

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, v

' Fig. l is a front elevational view of creel apparatus including guard supports therefor constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan View from above of a guard support,

Fig. 3'is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a modified construction of the guard support,

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a plurality of cones, or cops, or spools, or other packages III, I!) of filamentary material II, H such, for example, as cord, thread, yarn or other filamentary material, wound'upon cone-tubes l2, I2, are detachably and non-rotatably mounted upon cone-supporting spindles I3,- I3 extending axially into the cone-tubes, which spindles have guard support elements or disks I4, I4 disposed thereon adja-.' cent th'e'bases I5, I5 of the cones. The spindles are suitably attached at I6, I6 to a vertical creel post I1 secured to a support surface or' floor I8, and are adjustable to an upwardly inclined disposition so that the action of gravity on the cones I0, I0 facilitates holding the same on the spindles closely adjacent the guard support disks I4, I4 at the region of the peripheral edges I9, I9 of the bases of the cones. The guard disks I4, I4 make feasible effectively supporting the filamentary material I I, I I to prevent its dropping or working over the edges It, I9 and across the bases I5, I5.

In the construction shOWnin the drawings, each guard support disk i 4 is of dished form, and may be of a suitable flexible material such, for example, as thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material, or molded rubber, natural or synthetic, or other rubber-like material which is flexible and desirably resilient in its cured condition. The guard disk 14 is concavo-convex and circular and may, if desired, have stifiening ribs 20, 20 and 2| extending radially and circumferentially, respectively, as shown especially in Figs. 2 and 3, which ribs may be formed in the molding of the disk.

The guard disk l4 may have a central mounting portion or cylindrical center-Well portion 22 projecting axially outward or downward with the bottom wall 23 thereof having an aperture 24 through which the spindle 3 extends, the bottom wall 23 being backingly supported by a positioning washer 25 of stiif material such, for example, as steel, or alternatively of yieldable material such, for example, as resilient rubber attached to the spindle. When the rubber washer 25 is employed, it yields downwardly under pressure of the cone facilitating flexure of the sides of the -center -well portion me manner so as to enhance the pressure of the disk against the edge of the cone as the latter reduces in diameter with removal of the cord. The center-well portion 22 provides space for receiving the projecting end portion of the conetube l2, thereby facilitating axially centering the cone relative to the guard disk as well as the spindle l3 and the disposition of the concave surface 26 of the guard disk H in supporting relation to the filamentary material at the region of' the peripheral edge E9 of the cone is. Also, the center-well portion 22, as shown especially in Fig. 4, may have a plurality of internal side fins 3!, 3| circumferentially spaced-apart and extending axially for engaging the cone-tube so as to further prevent the cord from dropping over the edge and winding on the spindle.

The concave surface 25 extends radially outward from and circumferentially about the center-well portion 22 for disposition at the peripheral edge l9 and desirably about the entire periphery of the cone to support flexibly the filamentar material against dropping over the edge l9,especially at the upper peripheral region of the base. The guard disk including its surface 26, when it is of resilient rubber-like material, is flexible and yieldable resiliently under pressure of the cone to facilitate close conformance about the base [5. Such yieldability is advantageous for continuity of support of the cord even though the cone be eccentric relative to the spindle IE, or has an irregular peripheral shape, or has an irregular surface configuration I of the base. The fiexure and resilient yieldability of the guard disk together with its dished shape makes feasible such conformance and support at the edge l9 when the cone is either fully or partially wound, as shown especially in Fig. l, the resiliency permitting fiexure of the disk against the edge is as the diameter of the cone decreases. Desirably, the upturned margin 21 of the guard disk projects beyond the peripheral edge is of the fully wound cone Hi to further facilitate peripherall supporting the filamentary material.

The supporting action at the periphery of the cone by the guard disk described hereinabove advantageously permits positioning the cone horizontally, or vertically, or at any desired angle therebetween. Also, it permits uniformity of the angle of inclination of all the spindles of the creel apparatus even though the cone by random wound or precision wound, and even though some 4 cones contain cotton cord while others contain rayon or nylon cord and the like.

When each cone I0 is positioned on the desired upwardly inclined spindle B, the cone-tube l2 may be engaged and approximately centered by a finned cone-holder member 28 of wedge-shape fixedly secured to the spindle adjacent the guard disk It and the positioning washer 25, so that the cone-tube desirably terminates short of the bottom wall 23 of the center-well portion 22.

This permits wedging the cone on the holder to prevent jerking the cone off the spindle while causing the cone to exert pressure upon the guard disk as the filamentary material II is unwound and delivered to an eyelet 29 carried by a vertical support post 38 spaced-apart from the creel post l l. The eyelet 29 may be suitably located on the support post 30 to promote drawing-off the filamentary material ll over the upper or apex end of the cone It) as shown in the drawings.

. In the operation of the creel apparatus, each fully wound cone I0 is slipped base first over the free end of the desired spindle i3 and firmly wedged on the cone-holder member 28 so that the cone-tube 12 is within the center-Well portion 22 and the base 15 at its peripheral edge [9 presses against the concave surface 26, the guard disk flexing resiliently to conform to and sup port the filamentary material H about the periphery of the cone. The guard disk peripherally and continuously supports the strands of filamentary material H, thereby preventing entanglement with the spindle and the working of the filamentary material l over the peripheral edge I5. Thus, breakage of the filamentary material H from these sources of trouble is prevented effectively, which advantageously facilitates an improved quality of finished product at a relatively lower cost as compared to prior creel apparatus construction.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A guard member for a package of wound filamentary material, said guard member comprising a central mounting portion and comprising also a peripheral package-engaging portion of resilient rubber-like material of a thickness such that under pressure of the package said peripheralportion is self-sustaining by virtue of its stiffness without underlying support but is capable of slight resilient flexure under such pressure of the package, said peripheral portion being dished for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said peripheral portion as the package is reduced in size by removal of the filamentary material, to support yieldably the filamentary material against working over said peripheral edge of the package.

2. A guard'member for a package of wound filamentary material, said guard member com-' rising a full molded disk of rubber-like material having a central mounting portion and hay-- ing also a peripheral package-engaging portion of resilient rubber-like material of a single wall thickness sufficient to b self-supporting under pressure of the package by virtue of the stiffness of said peripheral portion without underlying support but capable of slight resilient fiexure under such pressure of the package, said peripheral portion being dished in its unstressed condition for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said peripheral portion as the package is reduced in size by removal of the filamentary material, to support yieldably the filamentary material against Working over said peripheral edge of the package.

3. A guard member for a package of wound filamentary material, said guard member comrising a full molded unitary disk of flexible rubber-like material having a center-well mounting portion projecting axially outward of said disk for receiving a projecting end of the package at its base and said disk having also a peripheral package-engaging portion extending laterally outward from said center-well portion, said peripheral portion being of resilient rubberlike material of a single wall thickness sufiicient to be self-supporting under pressure of the package by virtue of the stiffness of said peripheral portion without underlying support but capable of slight resilient fiexure under such pressure of the package, and said peripheral portion being dished in its unstressed condition for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said peripheral portion as the package is reduced in size by removal of the filamentary material, to sup ort yieldably the filamentary material against working over said peripheral edge of the package.

4. A guard member for a package of wound filamentary material, said guard member comprising a full molded unitary disk of circular form and of fiexible rubber-like material, said disk having a center-well mounting portion of cylindrical form projecting axially outward of said disk for receiving a projecting end of the package and terminating in a closed end wall having a central spindle-receiving aperture therethrough, said disk having also a peripheral package-engaging portion extending radially out-' ward from said center-well portion and being of resilient rubber-like material of a single wall thickness sumcient to be self-supporting under pressure of the package by virtue of the stillness of said peripheral portion without underlying support but capable of slight resilient fiexure under such pressure of the package, said peripheral portion being dished in its unstressed condition for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said portion as the package is reduced in size by. removal of the filamentary material, to support yieldably the filamentary material against working over said peripheral edge of the package.

5. Apparatus for mounting a package of wound filamentary material to permit delivery of said material therefrom, said apparatus comprising a package-mounting element, and a guard member on said element, said guard member comprising a central mounting portion at said element and comprising also a peripheral package-engaging portion of resilient rubber-like material of a thickness such that under pressure of the package said peripheral portion is selfsustaining by virtue of its stiffness without underlying support but is capable of slight resilient flexure under such pressure of the package, said peripheral portion being dished in a direction along said package-mounting element for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said peripheral portion as the package is reduced in size by removal of the filamentary material, to support yieldably the filamentary material against working over said peripheral edge of the package.

6. Apparatus for mounting a package 01. wound filamentary material to permit delivery of said material, said apparatus comprising a package-mounting spindle, and a guard member on said spindle, said guard member comprising a full molded unitary disk of flexible rubber-like material having a center-well mounting portion projecting axially outward of said disk at and along said spindle for receiving a projecting end of the package at its base and said disk having also a peripheral package-engaging portion extending laterally outward from said center-well portion, said peripheral portion being of resilient rubber-like material of a single wall thickness sufiicient to be self-supporting under pressure of the package by virtue of the stiffness of said peripheral portion without underlying support but capable of slight resilient fiexure under such pressure of the package, said peripheral portion being dished in its unstressed condition in a direction along said spindle for engagement of said package by the resilient pressure of said peripheral portion around the peripheral edge of the base of the package and continuance of such resilient engagement progressively across said peripheral portion as the package is reduced in size by removal of the filamentary material, to support yieldably the filamentary material against working over said peripheral edge of the package.

- WALTER E. HEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,822 Bates Nov. 24, 1891 700,167 Bowey et al May 20, 1902 1,353,960 Houck Sept. 28, 1920 1,692,132 Martz Nov. 20, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 555,137 Germany July 20, 1932 

